Soupe L'Oignon

We miss France.  We miss France a LOT.
I made Onion Soup (Julia Child's recipe via Smitten Kitchen), one of our staples while we were in Paris.  I didn't realize it would take so long to make.  But it was OH SO WORTH IT.

MiamMiamMiam!

Last Tango... or rather, Slow Steady Stroll in Paris

After a few blissful days in the country, we head back to big city life and spend our last few days in Paris. This time, we stayed at the charming Hotel New Orient in the Opera district, which was walking distance to the Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe. We were also nearby the bohemian Montmartre and notorious Pigalle districts, and could easily take the metro to the Eiffel Tower.

Russell and I spent these last few days seeing the last of the can't-miss sights, and also eating and enjoying as much of the gastronomic French delights as we could stuff ourselves with.

Click HERE to see the photos from the last leg of our trip.

Land of the Loire

After a few days in Paris, we head to Pays de la Loire, the land of the Loire, to experience the rustic countryside. Russell and I stayed in the town of Ingrandes at the Hotel Le Lion d'Or right next to the Loire River, which used to be an old priory dating back from the mid-1600s. Ingrandes used to serve as a border town between France and Bretagne (Brittany), before Bretagne became part of France in the 1500s.

We were taken care of by Russell's friend Ninie, a musician who lives in the small town of La Chapelle St Sauveur a few miles away. She and her daughter Margot took us to see different sights in the area. Ninie also took us on a day trip to see the seaside resort town of La Baule, Le Pouliguen, and the medieval fortified city of Guerande (which is renowned for its sea salt). She taught me how to make traditional Breton-style buckwheat galettes, as well as beurre blanc sauce. And while Ninie & Russell played music, Margot taught me words for different animals and colors en Francais. Click HERE to see Ninie rocking out at her house.

Click HERE to see our photos from the Loire River Valley.

Springtime (kinda) in Paris

Russell and I wanted to take one last trip before the baby arrives in June. We've gone to so many countries over the years... where haven't we been? Oh! France! So France it was. Being pregnant, I couldn't have any of the runny cheeses or charcuterie or a lot of wine... but at least I could eat my fill of everything else!

We arrived on March 3, and our homebase was Hotel Acte V in the Latin Quarter, so named because of the neighborhood's proximity to the Sorbonne University & the classical Latin language spoken by the students. It's a lively neighborhood filled with inexpensive cafes, bistros, and bars. We were also a 5-minute walk to the Rue Mouffetard, the oldest food market street in Paris. Even the Pantheon and the Notre Dame cathedral were a walkable distance. We had dinner with cousin Justin, his lady Florence, and their darling daughter Zoe at Bofinger, the oldest brasserie in Paris. A couple of Russell's musician friends who live in Paris, Aurelien and Adeline, also took us around town during our visit.

Click HERE to see our photos from the first leg of our trip.